In the news today, June 22

The Canadian Press

Published: Jun 22 at 4:15 a.m.

Updated: Oct 24 at 3:24 p.m.

Five stories in the news for Friday, June 22

———

PROTEST TEEPEE BACK UP AT SASK. LEGISLATURE

To the sound of beating drums and applause, people put up a teepee outside the Saskatchewan legislature only days after the government ordered it taken down and police arrested Indigenous protesters. The Justice for our Stolen Children camp was set up in February after the acquittals of Gerald Stanley in the fatal shooting of Colten Boushie and Raymond Cormier in the death of Manitoba teen Tina Fontaine. Both victims were Indigenous. The Saskatchewan government said it ordered the removal of the camp over safety concerns. The teepee was set up again following an event marking National Indigenous Peoples Day.

———

U.S. NOT SAFE FOR REFUGEES, EXPERTS ARGUE

The Canadian government is facing mounting pressure to suspend its Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States amid concerns over child migrants being detained at the U.S. border, but the pact has long been widely panned by refugee law experts and advocates. Efrat Arbel is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and was lead investigator on a Harvard Law School examination of the agreement in 2013. She believes strongly that Canada should never have signed onto the agreement and should absolutely suspend it now, especially in light of recent policy changes in the United States regarding asylum seekers. The Safe Third Country agreement is based on the core principle that people seeking refugee protection must file their claim in the first safe country they arrive in, unless they qualify for one of a few exceptions.

———

CANADA'S U.S. ENVOY TO MEET FINANCE MINISTERS

Canada's envoy to Washington will brief finance ministers from across the federation next week on the roller-coaster relationship with the United States. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau will host his provincial and territorial counterparts at the meeting, which will include a presentation by Canada's U.S. ambassador, David MacNaughton. Ambassadors don't typically attend the sessions. MacNaughton will discuss the state of a bilateral relationship that has shown significant signs of strain in recent weeks. Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz is also scheduled to address ministers on the economy.

———

FEDS SET HIRING RULES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORK

Cities, provinces and territories building new roads, bridges, water and transit systems funded with federal dollars will have to let Indigenous Peoples, veterans and recent immigrants have a hand in those projects under new rules being unveiled today. The idea of so-called community benefits will be a mandatory requirement for many infrastructure projects the federal government will help pay for through its $33-billion spending envelope.

———

VANCOUVER MAN SELLS PRICEY 'HOT DOG WATER'

A Vancouver man who sold bottles of "Hot Dog Water" for nearly $40 each says he was trying to see how marketing of health claims backed by supposed science amounts to quick sales. Douglas Bevans said he boiled about 100 organic beef hot dogs and put each one in a bottle of the water he sold at an annual car-free event. Each bottle of the "keto-compatible," unfiltered water sold for $37.99, but two bottles cost only $75 because of a special deal last Sunday at his booth, where he wore a hot dog onesie and promoted himself as CEO of Hot Dog Water. Bevans, who is really a tour operator and a performance artist, said he came up with the idea as he questioned the ridiculous marketing and health claims behind some products and thought to himself: "I bet I could sell hot dog water."

———

ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Richard Wagner holds a press conference to update Canadians on the work of the Court.

— Statistics Canada releases retail trade for April and the consumer price index for May.

— Round 1 of the NHL Entry Draft in Dallas, where the Buffalo Sabres hold the first overall pick.

— Sentencing hearing in Yorkton, Sask., for former gynecologist Mohammed Haque, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting four female patients.